Over the Hills and Far Away
by Rachynn
Summary: Hiatus/AU/InuKag - Based loosely on the song by Nightwish. One mistake can change everyone's lives.
1. Over the Hills and Far Away

**Over the Hills and Far Away**  
**Chapter One**  
_By: Rachynn_

**Disclaimers:**  
_I do not own Inuyasha.  
I do not own "Over the Hills and Far Away", the song upon which this fic is based on.  
Listen to the version by Nightwish, though it's originally by Gary Moore.  
It's AWESOME.  
Although, if you know the song, you may know the ending.  
Unless I decide to be original. _

---

"You stand here, convicted of murder." The bailiff's voice was thunder in his ears, though he was half way across the room. "What do you have to say for your self?"

Nothing, he thought. He couldn't say anything.

His hands were tied together with rough rope and hung in front of him. He wore old clothes with holes in them; his feet were bare and freezing cold. On this early spring morning, he was a wretched sight. He stood ostracized, away from everyone else. He snuck a glance at his wife, hoping to find the strength he needed that she so often gave.

What he saw almost made him ready to accept the executioners axe right here and now. She stood alone, the rest of the people crowed into the court room avoided her like she had the plague. She wasn't looking at him, but down at the ground, her head buried in her chest, hair covering her face. She seemed older than her age. It sickened him to know that her current state was his fault.

"Do you have anything to say in your own defense?" The bailiff spoke again, for the accused was testing his patience.

Inuyasha gazed once more upon his once beautiful wife before turning to the bailiff once again. "No." he said simply. It would be useless to try; the court had already condemned him with their hearts, if not with their mouths. He couldn't say were he was when the crime took place. No one could find out.

"Then you are condemned to be guilty. For your crime you are damned to banishment on a secluded prison-island."

There was a murmur amongst the onlookers. They had expected this. For the crime of murder, one was sent to a prison-island, secluded alone for an amount of time unknown to the prisoner. Contact with the outside world was nearly impossible.

He accepted the bailiff's sentence without a word. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the soldier's at the door moving towards him. He turned his back to them and stared at his wife. They were separated only by distance, and the box of bars that contained him, but what he wouldn't give to be close to her right now.

"Kagome," He said softly, not caring if anyone else heard. His words were for her and her alone. She lifted her head slightly, and he saw her pale face, shimmering in the dim light. He felt a stab of pain in his heart at the sight of her tears.

"I'll be back, so just wait for me."

His own tears threatened to fall, but he held them back in a sensitive, yet manly sort of way. He felt firm hands encircle his upper arms and the pressure he felt there let him know that the soldiers were here to take him away. He managed a smile in Kagome's direction before he turned towards the soldiers and allowed himself to be led away.

"Just tell them you're innocent!" he heard someone scream. He whipped his head around to see Kagome on her knees, holding on to the railing that separated the gallery from the rest of the court room. She was sobbing. "Just tell us where you were that night and they'll let you free. You didn't do this Inuyasha!"

His heart broke. The soldiers pulled him away again, but he tried to struggle.

"Just wait for me Kagome! I love you!"

It was all he managed to say before the court room doors shut, cutting him off from the only world he ever knew.

He didn't murder anyone. He had an alibi, but he couldn't tell anyone. To reveal the truth would be to suffer a fate worse than imprisonment.

---

_This plot line is so cliché._


	2. Dead Boy's Poem

**Over The Hills and Far Away  
**_**Dead Boy's Poem  
**__By: Rachynn_

**Disclaimers:**  
_I do not own Inuyasha.  
I do not own "Over the Hills and Far Away", the song by Nightwish upon which this fic is based.  
I do not own "Dead Boy's Poem" the song title (by Nightwish) that I borrowed for the title of this chapter._

_All the chapters from now on will be the names of Nightwish songs.  
Because I Like their Music._

The cold, salt water smashed against the side of the wooden boat, rocking it to dangerous angles. The sky clouded over in an angry grey, and the clouds threatened to burst at the seams with held-back water. The wind howled like a woman scorned and chilled him to the bone.

Inuyasha looked gravely at the sky. This weather did not bode well for the rest of the trip. They were less than a day out of port, on the way to that wretched prison-island when the storm appeared on the horizon. Now it was almost on top of them.

The iron metal shackles around his wrists and ankles numbed his extremities. The loose convicts-clothes he had been forced to wear did nothing to shield the cold from his body. His hands were bloodied from the rough wood of the oar. It wasn't enough that he was being sent into exile, but he had to get himself there as well.

There were five other convicts with him, all guilty of the same crime, all serving the same sentence as he. There was a solider guarding each of them, holding the end of the chains to which they were bound. The boat had a captain, and now the old, rotund man stood at the helm, staring into the sky with a scowl on his face.

Inuyasha continued rowing, trying his best to keep the pace steady.

It was useless, the wind and waves were making the boat their plaything and his rowing was getting them nowhere fast. He glared at his soldier, who sat beside him, wearing a warm fur coat and hat.

"This is stupid. We should turn around." He said, doing nothing to keep the annoyance from seeping into his voice.

"Shut up. What could you possibly know about navigating a ship?"

"I know at least, that heading into that" he pointed to the swirling mass of darkening cloud as he felt the first frigid raindrop splash against his cheek "is suicide."

"There ain no way o' escaping 'er." The captain said gravely from where he stood, his voice carrying above the shrieking wind.

_Kagome drew the blankets closer, unable to fight off the chill that had settled around the house._

"We'll 'ave to try an' ride 'er out."

"Fuck This!" Inuyasha swore. He had never been at sea, but even he knew that it would take a miracle to save them now. The rain was pelting against them all. The other convicts were groaning around him. He stood up, ignoring the pull of the iron that tried to return him to the bench.

"There must be something we ca-"

All other words were cut off as the crew and captives were swept away into the briny sea.

_She coughed, something stuck in her throat. He eyes briefly fluttered, opening and closing as she battled between sleep and consciousness. The pit of unease at the bottom of her stomach troubled her, preventing her from loosing herself to the oblivious dreamscape that she sought in sleep. Was something happening? Was Inuyasha alright?_

The world was dark, there was no light to be found… not anywhere. Distance was irrelevant. He was suspended in time and space and everything in between. There was no noise, all was silent. Alone, he drifted and then … chaos.

His head rose above the water line. Instantly his lungs gasped for air, though he drew in water with every breath. The wind screamed in his ears and whipped around his head, pushing him and pulling him, this way and that. Frantically he kicked with his legs and failed with his arms, trying to find something to grab onto something, for balance or grip, but there was nothing. The shock of the inclement sea and the surprise of its frosty waters opened his eyes wide. He saw nothing but varying shades of grey, felt nothing but the frigid touch of the sea, heard nothing but the howls of the wind, before he was pulled under once again.

The shackles that bound him dragged him through the cutting water, he didn't know if it was up or down, left of right, forwards or backwards.

He was afraid, no…, he was terrified. Was this death?

_She felt like crying. Would Inuyasha mind if she cried? No, she had to be strong, until he returned, he said he would return. She missed him so much, though he had only been gone for a little over a day. Though, that day had felt like eternity. _

_She left the court room alone; no one would go near her. She had heard their voices after the 'trial'. They whispered behind her back, thinking she wouldn't hear them. They whispered of her husband, of her, of lies and scandals. "Murder's whore" they called her. _

_They spoke like they believed Inuyasha was guilty, like they had never met him before, like they didn't know what kind of person he was. They were so ready to believe the worst in him and she failed to see why they lacked the faith to believe he was innocent. Each horrible word she had heard was another knife in her gut. _

_Would these coming days pass slowly, inching by, little by little? What was this awful feeling inside her? Was it death?_

_Outside the wind howled._

Soft fingers stroked his cheek. Warm breath caressed his ear and neck. He opened his eyes and briefly, for a fluttering instant, saw the fire's glow reflected on the wooden walls of the cabin and a smiling shadow above him.

Cruel reality yanked him from the illusion and threw him back into the real world with a smack.

His head brushed against something hard. Instinctively he reached out and, with luck, grasped an appendage of the upturned boat. He didn't notice that he was above water again, or that the mysterious pulling on his shackles had stopped. The single thing his mind was focused on was the bench seat he grasped, knowing it was life or death.

He gasped for air, and found no resistance. With hesitance he opened his eyes and saw blackness. The boat had been flipped upside down, and miraculously he had turned up underneath the concave deck. The sea was calmer, but the cold no less biting. The wind was gone, but no less silent. His numb hands gripped the bench and he prayed that he wouldn't lose strength and let go.

"Kagome…" he whispered.


	3. Ocean Soul

**Over The Hills and Far Away  
**_**Ocean Soul  
**__By: Rachynn_

**Disclaimers:**  
_I do not own Inuyasha.  
I do not own "Over the Hills and Far Away", the song by Nightwish upon which this fic is based.  
I do not own "Ocean Soul" the song title (by Nightwish) that I borrowed for the title of this chapter._

_---_

She didn't want to sleep, because then the dreams would come back. They were horrible and bloody and heart-breaking. She didn't want to stay awake either, with the impossible, haunting questions that were whispered in her ear.

She didn't understand anything any more. Her husband was going to prison for a murder she didn't believe he could have committed. Yet, he hardly protested when they hauled him off and sent him away. The Inuyasha that she knew would have fought, tooth and nail against such an injustice.

She was too scared to admit it aloud, and even more afraid to admit it to herself, but she had no idea where Inuyasha had been when the murder had been committed. When the alarm bell in the town center began to sound, she was home alone. Earlier that evening she had come home to an empty house, Inuyasha was gone. He came home in the wee morning hours, after whatever commotion in the town center had settled down. He didn't say anything to her, just went to sleep.

It her desperate loyalty that let her believe in her heart of hearts that Inuyasha had nothing to do with the murder. She trusted him, but the police claimed to have an eye witness who saw her husband fleeing the homicide scene, guilty by the bloody foot prints leading away from the body, towards her house. They said they had too much evidence to take the word of the wife. Then the soldiers came and took him away.

Now, everyone knew the lies and now, she was shunned. Everyone else in town was so ready to believe that Inuyasha could commit such an act that it made her uneasy. She could feel their disapproving glances behind her back when she was outside.

Her cold, crystal tears slowly glided down her cheeks to soak the pillow below her head. The wind tore at the shudders of the window and the distant rays of dawn appeared on the horizon to caress her saddened cheeks.

---

Strength seeped out of his arms like water cascading over a tall cliff. He was so tired. His legs ached and his arms teetered on numbness from being raised above his head for so long. He could let go of the upside down board he clung to, but Inuyasha could not trust his limbs to then keep him afloat.

The air was stale and warm, and he knew that his oxygen supply was shrinking fast. It would run out soon. What had he been saved from death in the storm, only to suffocate slowly in this upturned boat?

He inhaled. He exhaled. He floated adrift, lost in thought. He want to sleep, but to do so would spell death.

Inhale. Exhale. In. Out. Stale air.

_Plop! Plop!_ Something behind him fell into the water. _Plop! Plop! Plop! _More noise and suddenly there was a splash, a small wave sending him cascading forward. Slowly he turned, switching his grip on the board. Bright lights rushed into his line of vision, blinding him. He sucked the invading sweet, fresh air into his lungs in gigantic gulps. Faintly, his ears heard words.

"…'nother….stinking boat…."

"…good riddance…"

He didn't dare to believe that he heard voices, voices of rescue. His eyes only saw pale purple sky peeking through the new hole in the boats side. There was no sign of life visible to him.

_Smash!_

The hole grew larger as a hand smashed through it, followed by an arm. It reached in as far as it could, grasping, searching for something. Inuyasha couldn't help it what happened next. His brain had reverted to base instinct, only the need to survive dictated his actions.

"Help me!" he called, his voice hoarse and weak. He could barely recognize the words he uttered. Then, releasing all grip on the board that had kept him alive, he made a grab for the hand. His body sunk into the water with a muffle splash.

The alien hand shook and abruptly retreated back to where it had come from. Inuyasha was left bobbing in the water. His mouth hung open, and brackish sea water filled it. He panicked.

"…there's somethin' in there…"

Would they leave him? Would his only chance at rescue be cruelly ripped away from him? He fell through the waves. His body struggled, tiredly, but it struggled to survive. He would LIVE damn it!

Suddenly he surfaced, gasping for breath and spitting out the salty ocean. The sky above was endless purple and blue hues rolling across the expanse of his vision. All to soon it was obscured by a watery film. He was free of the boat, cast out into the ocean with only the determination to survive.

"Help me!" he screeched as best he could, finally able to see the boat not to far away. He waved his arms and splashed. They had to see him!

He heard a faint splash far away and a feminine scream. Inuyasha could only guess at what was happening aboard the boat, only guess at who they were. He breathed deeply and tried to stay above water. His limbs ached, he was frozen. Would the ocean open up soon to swallow him?

Something grasped his shoulders with a unyielding grip. It pulled him up, finally, to the surface for the last time.

"Hey…" a strange voice said. "I've got you."

It was one of the most wonderful things Inuyasha had heard in his life.

He stopped struggling, stopped fighting, too tired to do anything but let himself be dragged through the now calm waters to the boat he didn't recognize. Clumsily he tried to life him self up on deck when a ladder presented itself in front of him, but his fingers had no grip and he could keep hold of the rungs. Set's of hands lifted and pulled him, awkwardly, onto the boat.

The world stopped swaying when he rolled out onto the deck. His body suddenly had weight, and it was _heavy_. He closed his eyes, ignoring the voices around him as his body screeched for rest.

Rescue had come at last.

---

The morning dew sparkled on the petals of the pansies in the small garden that hung from her window. The sky, crystal clear and wondrous, held no visible recollection of last night's storm, like a child trying to school its face into innocence after having stolen a cookie.

Kagome sipped a sip of tea, holding the clay mug snug in her hand. Dark circles rimmed her eyes and her cheeks were pale. Out the window through which she stared, the broken limbs an oak tree lay scattered across the road and lawns around her house. People wandered the route outside, calling o their neighbors and assessing the damage. They passed over her house as though some unspeakable nightmare resided within, and she was just as glad.

---

_"Vat are ve going to do vif 'im?"_

_"Oi say we return 'im back to the mainland, see if we canna git some coin for 'is 'safe' return."_

_"I say we kill him. We do not know who he is or what he is capable of. I say that we will be better off not taking any chances."_

_"'Tis always violence wit you. 'Tis not always the best solution y'know."_

_"Vat vas 'ee doing on a prison-boat anyvays? Vas 'ee prisoner or guard?"_

_"By the tattered rags we found him in, I would guess the former. If he was, indeed, a prisoner, then what crime did he commit? Clearly it was one serious enough to get him exiled." _

_"Mayhaps 'e's innocent. That bloody judicial system on the mainland is notoriously corrupt. 'Tis only a tool for the spoiled rich an' powerful to git rid o' whoever stands in 'er way."_

"_You and your conspiracies. Is always zee same vif you. Yeesh."_

" _Regardless… we could talk to 'im, to see wot he has to say for 'imself."_

_"Yes. We could talk to him, but if he gets violent, don't say I didn't tell you so."_

_"Bring your svord then, if you sink zat it may come in useful…"_

_"Again wit the violence! Never a moments peace with you two, I say."_

_"Excuse-moi, messieurs, mais, le garçon est éveillé."_

_"Vat did she say? Vy don't vee find crew vo speak zee same language vee do!?"_

_"The lad is awake."_

_"He will have questions…"_

_"…do vee answer them…"_

_"…or do we strike?"_

_"We talk, for now. Then, we decide wot we do."_

_---  
_

His body sunk into the soft, padded cushions of the mattress beneath him. His hands were tangled in long, silky black hair and warm lips captured his own. The fire was dying, casting a dim light upon the couple wrapped up in twisted sheets upon the downy duvet.

He could hear his voice whisper sweet nothings to a woman whose face he couldn't see…

He shot up immediately, eyes wide open. All at once he smacked his head on the hard wooden ceiling above him, became acutely aware of the tingling feeling of blood rushing back into his limbs and was awash with vivid memories of the recent events that occurred on the ocean.

There was no fire, no soft duvet, and no mysterious woman. He was in a small room, barely big enough to fit the small berth that he currently sat upon. A tiny porthole directly across from him above the berth let dim rays of a dying sun streak through into the compartment. A thick, woolen blanket lay atop him,.

He was immediately confused. As he sat, clenching and unclenching his fingers, wriggling his toes, he tried to calmly sort through his broken memory of what had happened on the prison-boat.

There was a storm. The boat capsized. He was drifting in the upside down of the boat and then, suddenly…. rescue.

Very slowly Inuyasha swung his legs over the edge of the bed and planted his feet on the floor. It was then that he realized he was wearing new clothes, not the rags he had been forced into putting on before leaving the mainland. Itchy socks covered his feet, and warm, thick cloth that was tailored into pants and a shirt covered the rest of his body.

The room only contained the window and the berth. Inuyasha stood up slowly, testing his balanced as the ship rocked back and forth with the waves, and winced. His legs ached with fatigue and his head spun. His attempt to take two steps forward ended with him almost falling to the floor. Defeated, Inuyasha sat back down.

Where was he? Who had saved him? How long had he been asleep? Did his rescuers know who he was?

"Oi see you're awake, lad" came a voice he didn't recognize. As quick as he could, he turned to the small door in the wall. A man he had never seen before now stood in the room. He was a portly fellow, with a rotund stomach and a graying beard that just clung to his chin. His hands were shoved into the pockets of rather plain looking beige pants and his shirt, almost certainly once white, was largely obscured by a heavy green over coat.

"Who are you?" Inuyasha managed to croak, his voice sore and loose from disuse.

"Oi don't think that's important now, 'tis it lad? The question is 'oo are you and wot are we going to be doing wit ya?"

---  
_  
_**I like accents. **


	4. Angels Fall First

**Over The Hills and Far Away  
**_**Angels Fall First**__**  
**__By: Rachynn_

**Disclaimers: **  
_I do not own Inuyasha.  
I do not own "Over the Hills and Far Away", the song by Nightwish upon which this fic is based.  
I do not own "Angels Fall First" the song title (by Nightwish) that I borrowed for the title of this chapter._

---

The sound of pounding against the wooden door down the hall brought Kagome out of the abyss that her thoughts had turned into and back into harsh reality. She peered through the gloomy atmosphere and the dust circulating in the air towards the door. Half curious, half nonchalant, her mind wondered as to who could be calling on her. She rose from the oversized chair that she had spent the past hours in, letting the thick blanket that kept her warm fall in a heap around her. Her dress was crinkled and creased and her hair lay tangled and matted atop her head and spilled over her shoulders.

Grasping the cold metal of the door handle, she hesitated before pulling it open. No one had knocked on the door in what seemed like forever, who would be knocking now?

The stranger knocked again, louder and harder than before. Hesitation and doubt aside, Kagome slowly pulled the door open. The increasing amount of sunshine that flooded the room made her shut her eyes almost closed.

"About time, Darling" came a deep voice from outside. She looked up and saw a figure shaded by the bright sun, high in the sky behind him. He was tall, with hair tied up in a pony tail that hung past his shoulders. She knew few men who kept their hair that long and one half of those men could possibly be knocking on her door. She blinked a few times, to allow her eyes to get used to the brightness and made an unintelligible noise.

"What, have my stunning hood looks rendered you speechless?" the man said in a cheerful, joking tone.

"Kouga?" she managed to say.

He flashed her that familiar grin. "The one and only. Now, can I come in?"

Though still confused, Kagome none the less let Kouga into her home. She shut the door behind him, but before she could turn to face him she was almost immediately entangled in his arms.

"I heard what happened to Inuyasha. I came as fast as I could." One arm encircled her neck and the other rested on the top of her head, as if he was holding a stray child. "I knew you'd be all alone here, so I've come to stay a few days and help you out."

Kagome maneuvered out of his grasp. "Thank you Kouga, I really appreciate the thought, but I'm fine... I don't need any help." Inside, she was touched by the offer, reminded that even though Inuyasha was gone and most of the villagers kept there distance, she wasn't completely alone.

Kouga didn't say anything immediately, but he stared at her, his blue eyes absorbing hers. "I thought you might say that…" he said dejectedly "…but look at yourself Kagome, your dirty, exhausted, probably hungry… you need someone here, you need a man in the house."

Something snapped in Kagome when he said that. She felt a fire kindle in her heart. "Kouga, I really do appreciate the trouble you took to come out here, but I'm fine. I don't need anyone else.

Kouga frowned and took a step forward and Kagome stepped back in response.

"Kagome listen to me. With Inuyasha on a prison-island for God-knows how long, you need someone to protect you and provided for you…"

"Don't say that! He'll come back! He's innocent, he won't be away for long… he loves me…" tears were coming to her eyes. To have someone finally tell her that Inuyasha was gone, that he would be gone for a long time was almost to much for her already weary heart.

"…until he comes back. He wouldn't want you alone and suffering Kagome, and I have seen how those villagers avoid your house like the plague, so I know you won't get any support from them. This is the logical thing to do."

"Stop" she said quietly, her voice trembling. To hear it from someone else, to hear that Inuyasha was gone hurt her deeply. She had prevented herself from thinking about that for the past days and now, the full weight of the suggestion came crashing down on her. Kouga opened his mouth to speak but she wouldn't let him.

"Just stop. I know what you're doing. You've been jealous of Inuyasha since we got married, so the second he's out of the picture" as much as it pained her to say that "you show up at the door acting like the kind compassionate good guy!"

She pushed him away and stepped back. She felt hurt and she didn't want anyone but Inuyasha. "I won't play your game Kouga. Just go back home!" She couldn't face him any more. She didn't want to say such hurtful things to him, but she needed a defense, a wall to hide her bleeding heart behind. Kagome fled to her bedroom, shut the door as loudly as she could and sunk to the floor as tears flowed freely once again down her cheeks.

Contrary to Kagome's wishes, Kouga didn't leave. He stood in the hallway for a long moment, his face red with embarrassment. He was almost a fool to think Kagome would be rational and accept him into her home. Eventually he picked up his cloth pack of supplies and went to the table at the back of the house. Kagome would have to kick him out by force if she really wanted him to leave. He could be just as stubborn as she could.

He surveyed the house quietly, checking food and water supplies, and for any thing that may need repairing. Outside he found an unkempt garden, over grown with weeds and plants he didn't recognized. It seemed the happy couple didn't garden much.

He went back inside and sunk into an inviting looking oversized chair. He had met Kagome when they were young and innocent. He had tried to get her to marry him once, years before now, but Inuyasha had already begun to worm his way into her heart and he eventually wooed her away from him. However, Kouga grew past that and his reason's for coming here were almost purely out of concern.

The sun had set when he heard the door open and then close.

"You're still here?" Kagome said dully. He looked at her with a whimsical expression in his eyes.

"I told you, I'm staying a few days and help you out."

Kagome sighed "I'm sorry… for saying those things to you."

"Don't apologize."

"No, I was out of line and I feel horrible. Please accept my apology."

"If you say so…" he made a show of brushing it off. There was so sense in making Kagome feel worse than she already did. "Now, when was the last time you ate?"

She stared back at him with sullen eyes and didn't say a word about herself. "I have some carrots, if you're hungry" she offer, moving to the kitchen counter. He watched her open a wooden box, peer at its contents and quickly replaced the lid. Her nose wrinkled and she moved to a cupboard, opened it and quickly shut it. Kagome repeated these actions as she moved about the kitchen, peering in cupboards and tins.

Kouga didn't say anything, he didn't have to.

Kagome stopped moving around and stood alone in the kitchen. Her eyes caught Kouga's and he saw the desperation there.

"I'm sorry…" she whispered "I don't think I have any food."

He nodded. "To think, you said you didn't need any help."

Kagome didn't say anything. Kouga moved out of the chair until he stood face to face with Kagome. He had the urge to hold her, but suppressed it given her last reaction. "Let me take care of you, at least for a little while."

Kagome didn't resist this time, just nodded her head.

---

So, in hindsight, it probably wasn't a good idea to punch the fat one in the face, but hey, the guy threatened him first.

That was how Inuyasha ended up chained to pole in the bowels of the ship. No light, no food, an overabundance of salt water and mold, this was quiet the happy place.

"Out of the frying pan and into the fire eh?" He swung his hands around again, another futile attempt to get free.

He sighed. Why him? Everything horrible was happening to him. Did God decide to have a "Let's torture Inuyasha" mood? All he wanted right now, more than anything, was to be with Kagome again.

To bad that was the one thing that would probably never happen again. His new captors told him that they were taking him back to the mainland(!) and turning back over to the authorities.

Either way, it seemed Inuyasha was headed for years of imprisonment on a prison-island for a crime he didn't commit.

_Why don't you just tell the authorities your alibi? You'll be free to go._

His conscience had been poking him and prodding him with questions like these ever since he had been chained up down here.

His mind filled with dread at the suggestion.

"I can't do that." He told himself.

Memories of that night made him feel like scum.

"Maybe I deserve to rot on a prison-island."

_Perhaps, only the worst kind of men betray there wives like that. _

Inuyasha's small shred of hope disappeared. He slunk to the ground as best he could and closed his eyes.

Maybe he really did deserve to rot on a prison-island.

--

**A/N: **Sorry for the long wait for an update, but I just moved from Ottawa to Colorado Springs, and that took a lot of time and energy. Anyway. Please review! Thank you to everyone who has read and review so far.

_Man…. These two are whiny. _


	5. She Is My Sin

**Over The Hills and Far Away  
**_**She is my Sin  
**__By: Rachynn_

**Disclaimers: **  
_I do not own Inuyasha.  
I do not own "Over the Hills and Far Away", the song by Nightwish upon which this fic is based.  
I do not own "She is my Sin" the song title (by Nightwish) that I borrowed for the title of this chapter._

---

He lost track of time and consequently did not know how long he remained chained up in the brig before _he_ came to him.

"Well laddie, I be thinking yeh should be telling us a bit about yerself" the fat one who he had previously welcomed Inuyasha' fist to his gut was telling him.

"I ain't telling you nothin'" Inuyasha replied in a raspy voice. He was only able to see half of his opponent's body and none of his face. His hair hung in thick, greasy clumps in front of his eyes. With his hands tied up behind him, he couldn't exactly rectify the situation now could he?

"Now, is that any way teh treat yeh rescuers?"

"Sorry, but rescuer's don't normally chain their catch to poles in a dark corner that smells worse than my grandmother's seafood casserole." The man walked slowly around him, but Inuyasha didn't pay much attention. "That's not a compliment either, my grandmother's n—"

If Inuyasha hadn't been paying attention to the fat captain before, he certainly was now. His neck rested rather uncomfortably between the folds of the fat man's elbow and the man had a pincer-like grip. Inuyasha tried to breathe, his lungs screaming for air, but a sickening choking sound was all that escaped past his lips. Inuyasha's eyes searched around frantically for the man that was just in front of him, but he saw no one.

"Now yeh listen to meh, an' yeh listen good, laddie. Meh comrades upstairs would love nothin' more than teh kill yeh and drop yeh back into the sea from whence yeh came. The only reason they haven't done so yet is because I've been telling 'em not teh. Now yeh wouldn't want meh teh be changin' meh mind about yeh, would yeh?"

The grip loosened, to allow him air with which to speak with. "F… u…" was all Inuyasha got out before the grip tightened again.

"Think carefully laddie. I've 'eard yeh talkin' in yeh sleep… callin' out fer some 'Kagome'. That wouldn't be yeh girl, would it?"

There was a sinister tone to the fat captains voice that filled Inuyasha's veins with ice. He struggled as best he could with both hands and feet bound, but it didn't affect the man behind him at all. His heart filled with cold rage. How dare this man talk about Kagome!

"Imagine 'ow yeh were to feel if we, that is, meh comrades an' I, were teh be helpin' ourselves teh this Kagome o' yers?"

Inuyasha thrashed harder against the pole, but it only seemed to be hurting himself, as opposed to hurting his tormentor. Inuyasha felt warm breath against his ear as the fat captain leaned his head in to whisper something to him.

"We pirate types 'ave ways o' finding even teh most hidden o' treasures."

His fear - exaggerated by situation and circumstance - that the bastard would actually seek out Kagome consumed his mind. Inuyasha saw red. It flooded his vision, draping his dark surroundings in a bloody hue. Then it was gone and he realized how futile it was to fight. He couldn't do anything, chained up like he was. He hated this feeling of helplessness. He hated not being able to help himself or help Kagome. All he could do was cooperate and pray that this man forgot about Kagome, and soon.

The grip loosened around his neck, albeit only slightly. ""Ok! Just don't you dare touch Kagome!"

"Will yeh be tellin' meh what I be wantin' teh know then?"

"If I tell you… what you want to know..." he said, panting, the man having removed his arm from around Inuyasha's throat so that he could speak. "…You'll promise to stay away from Kagome?"

The man moved so that he was facing Inuyasha and flashed him a toothy grin. "Kagome who?"

Inuyasha breathed heavily, greedily sucking air back into his lungs as his captor brought over a relatively dry barrel and planted himself on it.

"We'll be startin' off easy. Wot's yer name?"

"Inuyasha."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance Inuyasha, I'm Cecil, Cecil Timmins." His voice was strangely cheerful, a deep contrast to his previous tone.

"Likewise." Inuyasha spat sarcastically. He failed to understand how someone could switch moods so quickly.

"Now, wot were yeh doing on a state prison boat?"

"Going on vacation, I hear prison islands are quite nice this time of year."

The grin on Cecil's face vanished. "Kagome, that's a real pretty name. I wonder if 'er looks are as pretty as 'er name. Though, I imagine she must be downright ugly if she 'ad to settle fer yer sorry 'ide as a 'usband."

"She's fucking beautiful." Inuyasha said in a low tone. He couldn't help lashing out after this comment. Timmins had no right to comment on Kagome, he had never met her!

"I was on the boat because they thought I killed someone." His cheat was heaving. He wanted nothing more than to rip apart these chains and beat the man before him into a bloody pulp for even thinking about Kagome. However, not only did Inuyasha not have the strength right now, but the fat man's comrades could be down any second and scoring a few punches on Cecil would probably be the last thing he'd ever do. No, he had to make it out of this alive. Kagome was waiting for him at home.

"They thought yeh killed someone?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "I never killed anyone."

"Did yeh 'ave proof?"

"…yes…"

"Go on."

Inuyasha remained speechless for a long moment. He didn't want to say anything, but he felt his lips moving and heard his voice speaking. He was too tired to fight anymore. His heart screech at him to give up, to give in. Silently, he prayed to anyone who would listen, that this would be the only time he would have to recount the events of _that_ night.

"On that night… I was with someone."

---

"Come dance!" A pretty girl tugged at his arm, almost causing his beverage to spill across the bar counter. The musicians, a couple of fiddlers and a flute player, were playing a loud, upbeat tune and many tables had already been pushed against the wall so more room could be had for dancing. The lanterns were ablaze with lights of every conceivable colour, thanks to the paint on the glass.

Inuyasha set down the mug he had been sipping out of and held up his hand in a waving gesture, making no effort to obscure the wedding band around his finger. The girl's green eyes widened at the sight of it and they swung to the woman next to him. She muttered an apology and disappeared back into the crowd.

"You didn't correct her." The woman on his left said, her voice stiff, but not horribly so. He waved her off.

"Relax Kikyo; I doubt she'll remember most of tonight in the morning." He reached for his mug again, longing for the cool, refreshing ale to pour down his throat. He stopped when he felt a warm hand on his shoulder.

"If you keep going on the way you're going, neither will you." Kikyo laughed. Inuyasha rarely, if ever, had gotten drunk in the entire time she knew him and they had met long ago, when they were both very young. However, it would be years after they met before they had a decent conversation and still more years after that that there relationship resembled a friendship. Now, the unique bond that lay between them was something Inuyasha hesitated to tell Kagome about.

Inuyasha laughed off Kikyo's concern like he always did and took a long gulp of his ale, the finest in the village. It was total coincidence that they had met here tonight, but Inuyasha wasn't complaining. Kikyo still lived with her parents on a farm about half an hours walk from the village, and as such, the two friends rarely saw each other.

"So why are you in town anyways, Kikyo? Inuyasha asked.

"The Farmers Market is next week, so I came to procure my family's farm a booth. Our strawberry crop was exceptionally good this year." She replied in a matter-of-fact sort of way.

Inuyasha nodded and the night dissolved into the chatter of two old friends catching up on each other. Kikyo eventually had to forcefully pull away his fourth mug of ale, but he got it back just as forcefully and continued to drink. They laughed together, like they hadn't in years.

---

"Oi! You two… bar's closing in five minutes." The now familiar voice of the bartender said. Inuyasha blinked, unable to tell how much time had passed. He tried to stand, but stumbled on his feet. To his horror, he couldn't remember how much he had had to drink.

Kikyo grabbed his arm and steadied him. "I told you to stop drinking two hours ago." She chastised as she led him out of the tavern and into the chilly night air. They walked for a bit in silence, down dark roads lit only by the stars above. Then Kikyo stopped suddenly beside him, grabbing Inuyasha's arm and pulling it so he stopped to.

"Why did you drink so much Inuyasha? You never drink." Her voice was quiet, Inuyasha could barely hear her. Kikyo was staring at him, her dark eyes shaking, but somehow remaining transfixed on him. He opened his mouth to say something but no words came out. Why _had_ he drunk so much?

"I… I… don't know…" he muttered, his voice shaky and vision beginning to blur. The stars were so bright now, they made him blink repeatedly. It wasn't too cold a night, despite being almost autumn, but he shivered in spite of himself.

"Inuyasha?" Kikyo was speaking to him again.

"Ya?"

"Do you love her?"

"Who, Kagome?"

Silence.

"Yes, with all my heart and soul and mind."

"Then, I'm sorry."

Without warning, Kikyo's arms were around him, her head burying itself into his shoulder. Not knowing what to do, he brought his arms up and reciprocated the gesture, albeit somewhat awkwardly.

"What's wrong Kikyo?" he asked softly.

"You can't go home tonight. It's too late, and it would be unfair to Kagome if she woke up and saw you like this." Her voice was mechanical, in a way he had never heard her speak before. His mind wondered as to what she was talking about. He thought he was acting perfectly fine, but Kikyo continued to talk. "No, come with me, I'll take care of you, just for tonight."

Too drunk, too confused to protest, he allowed himself to be led at an Inn, presumably where Kikyo was staying while she was in town. Once alone in her room, Kikyo looked at him, but her eyes seemed distant and far away. Her hands were on his chest and he was surprised by the intimate contact.

"Will you remember tonight, Inuyasha?" she said, her voice strangely full of mirth. Inuyasha briefly wondered if she had had as much to drink, if not more, as he thought he did. Kikyo didn't give him time to answer though, before her mouth was on his.

It was slow and gently, and ended too soon. When Kikyo pulled away, she looked like she was almost scared of what was to happen next.

Maybe it was because the alcohol was affecting his brain. Maybe it was because he was too tired to protest. Maybe it was because, if he let himself pretend, he could believe it really was Kagome he was with now. Maybe, it was because, in his daze, he really, really wanted it.

So he kissed her back. He buried his hands into her long, silky black hair, angled her face up to him and kissed her back. He found that she tasted like strawberries and smelt like the morning dew. At that moment, he didn't want to let her go. Not for anything, or, anyone.

---

He returned home just as the first rays of sunlight began to streak across the sky. The front door opened quietly for him and he softly padded down the hallway towards the bedroom.

"Inuyasha?" the tired, confused voice stopped him in his tracks. He turned to see Kagome, sprawled out under a thick blanket on the oversized chair in the corner. Her eyes were staring at him, but the mists of fatigue still clouded them. "Where were you?" she asked, yawning. "I tried to wait up for you…"

It was then that the severity of what he had just done sunk in. Waves of guilt came crashing down on him, trying to drown him. What had he done? He froze as he felt the colour drain from his cheeks. He found it hard to keep his composure as he went to his wife.

"Kagome," he breathed, taking hold of her hands in his. "You didn't have to wait up for me…"

"But I wanted too…" she whispered.

What was he supposed to tell her? That he spent the night with another woman? He couldn't tell her truth, he couldn't break her like that, she didn't deserve it. The thought of Kagome hating him made him want to bury himself alive in the deepest pit he could dig.

She was waiting expectantly for his response.

"I… I… was out, at the tavern…" he said sheepishly, but as convincingly as he could make his shaking voice sound.

Kagome frowned and Inuyasha waited for her to call his bluff. He waited for her to see through his glass house of lies and shatter it.

"Were you drinking? You shouldn't drink, it makes the most honest men commit the most unspeakable acts."

Embarrassed and ashamed, he nodded. "I'm sorry." He couldn't look at her anymore, didn't want to look at her anymore.

"It's alright, I forgive you." Kagome smiled, her voice full of semi-mock seriousness. "Just don't do it again, please." She brushed a strand of hair out of his face. "I love you… you know that right?"

He nodded, unable to talk. Did she not know that every word she said was a twist of the knife buried in his gut? With each passing second he wanted to crawl away and leave her to live her life in peace, somewhere where her purity wouldn't be tainted by his presence.

Kagome yawned, and stretched her arms out. "I'm still so tired…" she turned and looked at him mischievously. "… will you carry me to bed?"

He chuckled and scooped her up into his arms. Her gleeful laughter as he carried her away almost made him wish that everything was right in the world and that nothing would ever spoil their happiness together.

---

"Well, it seems teh meh like yeh've got yerself in a royally fucked up predicament." Cecil said after Inuyasha finished his account of the night.

"I know."

"But, I don't see wot teh problem is…just tell teh authorities where yeh were that night and get this Kikyo girl to confirm it and yer free to go."

Inuyasha shook his head. "I can't let it get back to Kagome that I---" he couldn't bring himself to say it. "She would never forgive me. I betrayed her."

Cecil stood and straightened himself, wiping his shirt and pants with his hands. "If yeh want meh opinion lad, tell yer wife wot yeh did. If she loves yeh as much as it sounds like she does, she'll forgive yeh. Women are like that."

With that final speech, Cecil left, leaving Inuyasha alone in the dark with his thoughts once more.

---

"We won't be need'n teh kill 'im."

"Did you find out vat he vas doing on zat ship?"

"Yes. I think this poor lad just needs teh get 'ome."

_---_

_This chapter fails to satisfy me._


	6. Beauty of the Beast Part I

**Over the Hills and Far Away  
_Beauty of the Best Part I_  
**By: Rachynn

**Disclaimers:  
**_I do not own Inuyasha.  
I do not own "Over the Hills and Far Away", the song by Nightwish upon which this fic is based.  
I do not own "Beauty of the Beast" the song title (by Nightwish) that I borrowed for the title of this chapter._

_---_

The sun had only just risen over the horizon, the dew on the grass sparkling in a rainbow of colours as the light hit them. The sky was taking on a blue hue and the clouds from the previous night were beginning to disperse. Kagome stepped out of her house, a faded pink shawl wrapped around her shoulders to ward of the early morning chill.

Though it was still early, the town was already animated. Today was the first day of the farmers market and the whole town was alive. The center of town was gone, lost amongst the multitudinous tents and booths that were not there yesterday. People milled about, from one booth to another, examining the farmers goods before making the final purchase.

Kagome surveyed the scene with cautious eyes. Last night with Kouga had been embarrassing, not realizing that the little food she had was either mouldy or inedible. So out of necessity she was going to the market. Already she could smell the aroma of fresh bread as it wafted through the air, drifting from the bakers makeshift ovens.

"You know what you need?" Kouga asked from behind her. Kagome tightened her grip on the small brown change purse in the folds of her green dress and nodded.

"Fruits, vegetables, and bread."

"Alright then. Let's go shopping!" his voice was cheerful and encouraging. Kagome looked at him.

"You're a goof." She said simply, but she smiled when she said it.

Kouga shrugged. "I try."

Then they were off, walking at a moderate pace towards the market. Kagome did her best to ignore the looks given to her by her neighbours. She walked with her head held high, trying to act proud, Kouga falling into place beside her. As they closer, the delicious smells wafting up from the bakers stalls assaulted her nose and made her mouth water.

They passed by the first few stalls with relative indifference. The experience of the past years told Kagome who the best sellers were and where they were usually located. The first stall Kagome stopped at was run by an elderly man with a bushy white beard. He smiled when she approached.

"Kagome! How lovely to see you this morning." He said. His eyes roamed the space around her and he frowned. "But, where's Inuyasha?"

Kagome's smile faltered a little. The old man was from fairly far away so there was little chance he had heard what had happened. "He's out of town for a bit." She said. "Now, Sir, I would like to purchase some of your crusty bread." The topic change was subtle, but appropriate.

"Of course." The man bustled about, wrapping two or three loaves of wide, faded beige coloured, oval shaped bread in a brown sort of paper and then handed them to Kagome.

"Oh! They're still warm! Thank you!" she said as she put them in small wooden basket she had acquired somewhere along the way.

"You're welcome!" the old man said. He winked at Kagome before turning to help his next customer.

"He was friendly" Kouga commented as they left the stall.

"Oh yes. You'll never meet someone as nice as him. He lives quite far away, so I doubt he knows what happened to Inuyasha." Her voice was quite when she spoke now. If he had heard, as he no doubt would by the end of the week, she doubted that she would receive the same friendly service.

As the morning progressed, Kagome bustled from one stall to the next, humming and hawing over which food she wanted, which ones she thought would taste best, which ones looked ripe. Eventually, the basket Kagome had obtained was full. It looked heavy, so Kouga offered to carry it. Kagome wouldn't let him. They were standing on the outskirts of the market, near a moderately sized stall that sold giant red strawberries.

Kouga was staring at them with hungry eyes and a watering mouth. Kagome saw him licked his lips and laughed.

"There is no way that a strawberry that big could be grown naturally." Kouga said in disbelief, pointing to a particularly large berry. "We have to get them."

The woman behind the counter laughed, seeing their reaction. "Our strawberry crop was extremely good this year, how many would you like?"

"I'll take three." Kagome said.

As Kouga took the paper bag of strawberries and Kagome rummaged in her change purse for some coin, something caught her eye. The strawberry vendor was staring at her. Kagome wouldn't have thought this weird normally, any vendor would make sure that the customer paid for their product, but there was something in the woman's eyes, something that she couldn't place.

"Didn't take you long to get over him, did it Kagome?" the maliciousness in her voice made Kagome stare at her in utter confusion.

"I beg your pardon?" she said, stunned. She vaguely felt Kouga draw in close beside her, but she paid him little attention. "What are you talking about?"

The woman pointed to Kouga. "It's been what, a week since your dear little husband was shipped off to a prison-island and already you've got someone here to take his place. I bet you didn't even love Inuyasha at all. After all, it must be hard to 'love' a murderer."

Kagome didn't say anything, not immediately. Who was this stranger to criticize her? It seemed that one of the gossipers, whose whispers followed her everywhere she went, finally gathered enough courage to talk to her outright.

"Kagome, lets go. You don't need to listen to this." Kouga tugged at her hand, but she waved him off.

"No. I'm staying." She took a step towards the woman.

"You're wrong." She said as calmly as she could manage. "I loved – love – Inuyasha, more that you could know. I don't need to justify my actions or explain myself to you." The woman continued to glare at her with an intensity that Kagome was unused to.

"Kagome… let's go…" Kouga whispered in her ear. People were beginning to look their way, puzzled looks on their faces.

The dark haired woman smiled and Kagome shivered. Though she tried not to show it, there was something about this stranger that made Kagome uneasy.

"My name is Kikyo."

---

_A/N: Let's end it there. I think I'm going to do the next chapter a bit differently. Just warning. _


	7. Beauty of the Beast Part II

**Over the Hills and Far Away  
**_**Beauty of the Best Part II**_**  
**By: Rachynn

**Disclaimers:  
**I do not own Inuyasha.  
I do not own "Over the Hills and Far Away", the song by Nightwish upon which this fic is based.  
I do not own "Beauty of the Beast" the song title (by Nightwish) that I borrowed for the title of this chapter.

---

She couldn't help it. She snapped.

She had kept quiet, though she didn't expect to. She went on living, though she didn't want to. She tried to forget, though she knew she couldn't.

It took her a moment to recognize Kagome. The only time she had ever seen her was years ago, a quick glance if anything at all.

She was calm, at first. It wasn't going to get under her skin, she was going to act normally. She had nothing _against _Kagome as a person.

Except that, Kagome had everything that she had ever wanted.

She sold them the strawberries. The crop had been particularly good this year, after all. She watched the interactions between Kagome and the man who had followed her through the market. She knew his name, though not by choice.

She found herself broiling with jealousy and she could help but stare.

It was her smile. The way she smiled. Why was she smiling?

What possible reason could Kagome have to smile?

The townspeople hated her, for reasons they all kept to themselves.

Her husband was gone, accused of a murder that they both knew he didn't commit.

She was a disgrace and everyone within 10 kilometres knew it.

Besides, if her husband really did love her as much as Kagome thought and as much as Kikyo knew, then why did he spend that night away from her?

What possibly reason could Kagome have to smile?

Why was she still happy, when she had nothing?

Why, when Kikyo had everything, was she so miserable?

She hated that.

She hated it with almost every core of her being.

It wasn't fair. Not in the least.

So, she couldn't help it. She snapped.

"Didn't take you long to get over him, did it Kagome?" the words fell out of her mouth and she had no inclination to stop them.

Though it almost made her sick at the same time, to see the shock and confusion so evident in Kagome's face gave her a brief sense of stolen happiness.

The man looked up at her briefly, and recognition passed through both their eyes.

She didn't mean anything she said. She was angry. The feelings of that night with Inuyasha had remained bottled up inside for so long… and now they were pouring out of her.

"Why… why would you say those things?" Kagome's voice was weak in her ears.

"Because… I hate you."

Except she didn't.

"Why?"

Because you have everything I have ever wanted.

"You're weak. You depend on people, so you have no independence. When the one person who would care for you leaves, you latch onto someone else."

The words she was spewing out now came from nowhere. They didn't make sense, even to her, but she was the one who thought them wasn't she?

Kagome's escort was yelling at her now. He had his arm wrapped protectively around Kagome, who was unashamedly crying in public. _Bastard._ They had an audience.

Kikyo didn't care anymore. She had everything, but she had nothing to loose.

"I bet you don't even know where Inuyasha was the night that boy got murdered." Her voice was cold.

She didn't care anymore. She'd never have truly have Inuyasha. She'd go through life like so many other women. Grow up under her father. Marry a man she hardly knew and didn't love. Have children. Die. All for family duty and honour. It was all so pointless.

"Because he wasn't home that night, was he Kagome?"

Misery loves company.

"But, I know where he was. Would you like me to tell you?"

She could see the disbelief and shock in Kagome's face.

"How would you know?" It was almost a whisper.

"… Because he was with me…"

She saw Kagome break, twist and shatter into a hundred tiny pieces.

She hated herself for causing it.

---

"Now, do not be getting yourself in trouble again. I don't vant to zee you under current circumstances again…"

He nodded. The small old woman (apparently a distant cousin of Cecil's) bustled about, shoving things into a small bag. Food, clothes, cutlery (though why he needed any of that he didn't know.)

He barely understood anything she said with that thick accent of hers but had learned to nod his head as she rambled.

Finally she shoved the small bag into his arms. "Now go."

He nodded.

Cecil had graciously offered to bring him back home. They were about a half a kilometre away from the harbour, so he'd have to swim to shore, but he didn't care. He was home.

He thanked Cecil, the old woman (who, as it turned out was the ships cook) and the strange man who was always glaring at him and departed.

He knew he was never going to be able to repay them, so he wasn't even going to try.

He swam ashore, dried off as best he could, and headed in the direction of his house.

Inuyasha was careful to avoid main roads and clusters of people. He didn't want to run in with anyone who was related to the law.

The sight of his house had him grasping for words. Those long hours under the boat on the stormy sea had made him so sure he was never going to see it again.

Carefully he pushed open the door. "Kagome?" he called.

He as a little surprised by the lack of answer. Where could she have gone?

He shut the door quietly behind him. In the kitchen, he frowned. Someone else's cloth pack rested on the table. Pillows and blankets lay askew on his oversized chair. Had someone else moved in with Kagome?

He searched the house, but found no one.

The garden seemed cleaner, less overgrown.

A feeling of dread settled over him.

He changed out of his damp clothes and left the house. In the distance, he saw colourful tents and people milling about.

The Farmers Market.

He hadn't even gone halfway when he began to hear the whispers.

_"Shameful, really."_

_"An outburst like that, in public. Indecent I say."_

_"Well, what would you expect from that woman. You know who her husband is."_

He quickened his step.

_"Did you hear…"_

_"…Kagome… yeah…"_

_"And the other woman…"_

_"…lost it…"_

He was running, pushing people out of the way. As he got closer to the outskirts of the other side of the market the crowds got thicker.

_"…Kikyo…"_

_"…Kagome…"_

The sweet aroma of fresh bread vanished behind him. Then he saw her.

Kagome.

He thought the world became brighter at that moment.

It almost faded to black when he got closer. When he saw who else was there.

Kikyo.

"Kagome…" he screamed.

_I can't be too late._

_Please God, I got here in time. _

_Right?_

She turned to him and briefly, he saw her tears.

Then he saw black as a fist made contact with his face.

"You bastard."

---

_A/N: I totally didn't plan that second part. _

_You, person who leaves anonymous reviews. You're too bloody perceptive. _

_And yes. Nightwish is an awesome band and you should ALL be hooked. _


	8. Ever Dream

**Over the Hills and Far Away  
**_**Ever Dream **_**  
**By: Rachynn

**Disclaimers:  
**I do not own Inuyasha.  
I do not own "Over the Hills and Far Away", the song by Nightwish upon which this fic is based.  
I do not own "Ever Dream" the song title (by Nightwish) that I borrowed for the title of this chapter.

_---_

_The golden rays of sunlight penetrated through the green canopy of the chestnut trees and hit the ground, creating scattered pillars of light throughout the forest. _

"_Catch me!" she shouted from above, her voice full of glee. _

_He pivoted quickly on his feet, face directed towards the high branches of the trees. He had to find where she sat, perched in the branches, waiting to jump to the ground below. _

"_Wait!" he called, hoping to stall her descent until he could find her. Stupid leaves, blocking his view._

_It was too late. _

_Her laughter echoed off the wood and dance in the breeze as she tumbled from above. _

"_Oomph" he grunted as she landed, thankfully but painfully and awkwardly, in his arms. She was still laughing, as though she hadn't a care in the world. No one could stay glum for long when they were within hearing distance of that noise. _

_Briskly she hopped out of his arms and sat in the tall grass that grew around the huge chestnut trees. He fell down beside her, bringing his arms up to cradle the back of his head. _

_Staring at the portions of sky visible through the green umbrella of leaves, it felt as though time had stopped for them. Slowly the white clouds were making their way across the sky, and far off in the distance some bird was chirping a song. This was their own special place, their own little country, seemingly far removed from the harsh realities of the world._

"_Thank you."_

_He rolled over to stare at Kagome. "For what?" he snorted. _

"_For catching me."_

_He chuckled. "What was I gonna do? Let you fall and break your neck?"_

"_I wouldn't put it past you" she laughed, her attempt to remain serious had failed miserably. _

"_Fine then!" he exclaimed, playing along. "See if I ever catch you again." He rolled away and averted his eyes to the thin stalks of grass. _

"_I was just joking!" She playfully punched him in the shoulder. _

_He sat up. They had only known each other for a few months, but there was something different about her. His eyes wandered over her body, trying to see past flesh and into her soul, however impossible that was. He tried to ignore the butterflies that had begun to flutter madly in his stomach._

_Would she let him..._

"_I know," he said, his voice slightly lower than it was before. Quickly, before the moment was gone, he leaned towards her and gently brushed his lips against hers for the first time. _

To bad those halcyon days were a distant memory.

* * *

The embarrassment burned on her face, turning it a flaming red. Her hands dug into the bark of the branches of the chestnut tree as she tried to channel the whirlwind of emotions that coursed through her veins, trying to be calm, but it was useless. Anger, anguish, betrayal, and sorrow all took turns playing on the strings of her heart. 

She didn't want to believe the strawberry vendors words, she knew she couldn't believe them. She had waited so patiently for Inuyasha to come back. She had played the part of the faithful wife, the innocent wife, the wife to be pitied, so well, but it was all for nothing.

She ran away. She saw Inuyasha coming through the crowd, and she saw the look in his eyes. She fled. There was no way she could be part of the coming inquisition.

Inuyasha wasn't the murderer everyone thought he was. Kikyo would be telling the authorities where he had been that night and her testimony would surely clear Inuyasha of any charges.

It had been hard to be the wife of a murderer, but to be the wife of an adulterer would be even harder.

She couldn't cry. All her tears were gone.

* * *

_**A/N: **__Filler Chapter until I figure what I want to do in the next chapter. Sorry it took so long. _


End file.
